Deck 11: The Executive Branch

Question 1

Bureaucracy is the name given to

A)a large organization, structured hierarchically, that carries out specific functions.
B)any organization that has major problems when attempting to accomplish its goals.
C)a group of people who work to enforce policies in a way that prevents quick results.
D)any large branch of a government that has power to interpret laws.
E)government organizations, but not to corporate or university organizations.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

One of the important differences between public bureaucracies and private corporations is that government bureaucracies

A)are not organized to make a profit, whereas private corporations are.
B)have a single set of leaders, whereas private corporations do not.
C)are not organized hierarchically.
D)are not intended to serve the citizenry as private corporations are.
E)present an opportunity for career advancement, whereas private corporations do not.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following statements are true about federal spending?

A)The Social Security Administration accounts for nearly 75 percent of what the government spends.
B)The U.S.Postal Service accounts for half of what the government spends.
C)The U.S.Postal Service has been self-supporting for decades.
D)The Social Security Administration is funded entirely by the states.
E)Spending on social services accounts for the smallest portion of government expenditures.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which part of the federal government employs most of the government's staff?

A)judiciary
B)legislative branch
C)federal courts
D)executive branch
E)Internal Revenue Service

Question 5

Armed forces generally

A)have characteristics of a judiciary.
B)have characteristics of a legislature.
C)have characteristics of bureaucracy.
D)are not considered government personnel.
E)are only a small number of government personnel.

Question 6

All of the following are true of bureaucracies EXCEPT

A)bureaucracies can be found in government.
B)bureaucracies can be found outside of government.
C)private bureaucracies are usually headed by a single leader.
D)public bureaucracies are not organized for purposes of profit.
E)public bureaucracies are fully independent of Congress.

Question 7

The number of federal government employees has

A)increased significantly in the last several decades.
B)remained relatively stable for the last several decades.
C)decreased substantially in the last ten years.
D)grown to exceed the number of local government employees.
E)grown to exceed the number of state government employees.

Question 8

Polls show that Americans want __________ while also supporting __________.

A)more government; major cuts to military spending
B)more government; major cuts to social spending
C)less government; major cuts to social security
D)less government; major cuts to military spending
E)less government; almost every specific government program

Question 9

The __________ are considered to be line organizations, because they report directly to the president.

A)cabinet departments
B)​independent regulatory agencies
C)government corporations
D)Weberian agencies
E)staffs of Congress and the judiciary

Question 10

The monopolistic model of bureaucracy states that

A)bureaucracies have no competitors and are therefore inefficient.
B)decision making should be a rational process.
C)advancement should be based on merit.
D)bureaucracies seek expanded budgets and increased size.
E)bureaucracies should apply similar decisions to similar situations.

Question 11

The belief that bureaucracies have no competitors and no reason to make themselves more efficient best describes the __________ of bureaucracy, while the __________ predicts that bureaucrats will try to "sell" their services by appealing to both Congress and public opinion.

A)monopolistic model; Weberian model
B)monopolistic model; acquisitive model
C)acquisitive model; Weberian model
D)acquisitive model; monopolistic model
E)Weberian model; acquisitive model

Question 12

What was the effect of Ronald Reagan's presidency on the federal bureaucracy?

A)Under Reagan, the elimination of poverty caused government employment to fall.
B)Under Reagan, the expansion of the military caused government employment to rise.
C)Under Reagan, the elimination of the agriculture department caused governement employment to fall.
D)Under Reagan, the programs enacted because of 9/11 caused government employment to rise.
E)Under Reagan, the elimination of revenue sharing caused government employment to fall.

Question 13

A model of bureaucracy in which bureaucrats are viewed as problem solving specialists, who use logic and reasoning is

A)the acquisitive model.
B)the Weberian model.
C)the monopolistic model.
D)the executive model.
E)the rational model.

Question 14

The major cabinet departments of government were created

A)through congressional legislation.
B)when the Constitution was initially ratified.
C)by constitutional amendments.
D)by executive order.
E)through congressional legislation and by constitutional amendments.

Question 15

Cabinet departments are

A)created by the president and report directly to the president.
B)created by Congress, but report directly to the president.
C)created by the president, but report directly to Congress.
D)created by Congress and report directly to Congress.
E)created by other departments of the bureaucracy to serve unfulfilled needs.

Question 16

Government employment grew rapidly until

A)the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan.
B)the Great Depression.
C)the 2000 election of George W.Bush.
D)World War I.
E)the Civil War.

Question 17

A bureaucrat who tries to expand his or her budget is best explained by the __________ of bureaucracy, while one who uses logic and reasoning to solve problems within an organized hierarchy is best explained by the __________.

A)acquisitive model; Weberian model
B)acquisitive model; monopolistic model
C)Weberian model; acquisitive model
D)Weberian model; monopolistic model
E)monopolistic model; Weberian model

Question 18

What can be said regarding the structure of a bureaucracy?

A)It is structured horizontally.
B)A bureaucracy is void of any structure.
C)Its design is general, rather than specific.
D)It fails to designate any reporting structure.
E)it is structured hierarchically.

Question 19

The acquisitive model of bureaucracy holds that

A)decision making should be a rational process.
B)advancement should be based on merit.
C)leaders of bureaucracies seek expanded budgets and larger staffs.
D)bureaucracies should apply similar decisions to similar situations.
E)bureaucracies should hold hearings before taking action.

Question 20

Parts of government that are directly accountable to the president are called

A)line organizations.
B)independent regulatory agencies.
C)Weberian bureaucratic units.
D)monopolistic bureaucratic units.
E)government corporations.

Question 21

The awarding of government jobs to political supporters is called

A)nepotism.
B)political capital.
C)the spoils system.
D)the merit system.
E)the Pendleton system.

Question 22

When a bank fails, the government protects customers by

A)transferring customer deposits into another bank.
B)having the FDIC take over the bank.
C)stacking government employees on the bank's board of directors.
D)taking the bank's profits and giving them to depositors.
E)closing the bank and opening a shopping mall in that location.

Question 23

As a consequence of the Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993, federal employees can do all of the following EXCEPT

A)run for office in non-partisan elections.
B)run for office in partisan elections.
C)participate in voter registration drives.
D)make campaign contributions.
E)campaign for candidates.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is true about government corporations?

A)Profits from government corporations are distributed as dividends.
B)Government corporations must pay taxes on profits.
C)Government corporations do not employee many people.
D)You can invest in both a private corporation and a government corporation.
E)Government corporations do not usually have any stockholders.

Question 25

The spoils system of bureaucratic appointments was first implemented by

A)President John Adams.
B)President Franklin Roosevelt.
C)President Bill Clinton.
D)President Richard Nixon.
E)President Andrew Jackson.

Question 26

When the industry that is being regulated gains control over the agency that is supposed to regulate it, the process is called

A)cooption.
B)capture.
C)complacency.
D)collusion.
E)pork.

Question 27

To some extent, __________ combine the powers and functions of all three branches of government, in that they make, enforce, and resolve disputes over the rules. ​

A)cabinet departments
B)independent executive agencies
C)independent regulatory agencies
D)independent legislative agencies
E)government corporations

Question 28

A(n) __________ is not part of a cabinet department, but still reports directly to the president, while a(n) __________ exists outside the major departments and is tasked with making and implementing rules within a specific area.

A)independent executive agency; cabinet department
B)independent executive agency; government corporation
C)independent executive agency; independent regulatory agency
D)government corporation; independent executive agency
E)government corporation; independent regulatory agency

Question 29

All of the following statements about political appointees are true EXCEPT

A)they have been called the "aristocracy" of the federal government.
B)they are sometimes appointed as a reward for campaign contributions or other political favors.
C)they will probably occupy their position for a brief time compared to career civil servants.
D)career civil servants sometimes ignore their wishes.
E)their major source of authority is the ease with which they can fire civil servants.

Question 30

A business created by the federal government itself, which then sells part or all of the corporation's stock to private investors is a

A)government corporation.
B)independent regulatory agency.
C)independent executive agency.
D)government-sponsored enterprise.
E)government-sponsored cooperative.

Question 31

The merit system refers to

A)the selection, retention, and promotion of government employees on the basis of examinations.
B)a system of checks on Congress intended to prevent discrimination.
C)a process of selecting policies based on their value.
D)a system that was used for hiring bureaucrats under Andrew Jackson.
E)using work experience in lieu of educational qualifications when applying for federal positions.

Question 32

Amtrak, the U.S. Postal Service, and the FDIC are examples of

A)cabinet departments.
B)independent executive agencies.
C)independent regulatory agencies.
D)government corporations
E)private corporations.

Question 33

The Federal Communications Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are examples of

A)cabinet departments.
B)independent regulatory agencies.
C)government corporations
D)independent executive agencies.
E)corporations subject to regulation.

Question 34

The Pendleton Act

A)extended federal civil service protections to the states.
B)reorganized the federal government and exempted a substantial number of government employees from civil service protections.
C)increased the number of government employees selected by the spoils system.
D)established the principle of employment on the basis of open competitive examinations.
E)established a merit system during the Civil War.

Question 35

All of the following statements about the civil service are true EXCEPT

A)the first limits on the spoils system came from the Pendleton Act.
B)the Office of Personnel Management plays a large role in securing civil service employees.
C)reform of the civil service first began under President Jimmy Carter in 1978.
D)since 1993, civil service employees are allowed to participate in voter registration drives.
E)today, civil service employees may make donations to political campaigns.

Question 36

The Social Security Administration, Small Business Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution are examples of

A)cabinet departments.
B)independent executive agencies.
C)independent regulatory agencies.
D)government corporations.
E)corporations subject to regulation.

Question 37

It is difficult to change the bureaucracy because

A)most presidents do not aspire to making major changes.
B)it is difficult to fire civil servants, due to a lengthy appeals process.
C)it is not clear to whom bureaucrats report.
D)they make their own rules.
E)each president fires and re-hires the entire bureaucracy, leading to a lack of experience.

Question 38

Independent executive agencies are

A)the most recent cabinet departments.
B)responsible for regulating major aspects of the economy.
C)federal agencies that are not part of cabinet departments, but report directly to the president.
D)responsible directly to Congress.
E)staffed entirely by political appointees.

Question 39

An independent regulatory agency exists ____________ and is responsible for creating rules and regulations _______________.

A)within a major cabinet department; within a specific policy area
B)within a major cabinet department; across a variety of policy areas
C)outside of a major cabinet department; within a specific policy area
D)outside of a major cabinet department; across a variety of policy areas
E)within a major cabinet department; subject to the approval of the Senate.

Question 40

The Hatch Act, adopted by Congress in 1939, was created to

A)encourage federal employees to run for state but not federal government.
B)prohibit federal employees from switching political parties.
C)prohibit federal employees from active involvement in political campaigns.
D)increase federal employee participation in running voter registration drives.
E)establish a patronage system during the Great Depression.

Question 41

Iron triangles are made up of

A)economic interests, citizen activists, and government interest groups.
B)lobbyists, interest groups, and court cases used to promote government action to help the interest of these groups.
C)interest groups, legislators, and members of the bureaucracy working to promote and protect their mutual interests.
D)political parties, interest groups, and voters who want their candidates to win.
E)citizens who have contacted members of Congress, presidential advisors, and members of the federal bureaucracy.

Question 42

Privatization of government services has been most successful

A)when the economy is strong.
B)when the economy is weak.
C)at the local level.
D)at the federal level.
E)when the economy is strong and at privatization of government services is at the federal level.

Question 43

Bureaucratic agencies often decide for themselves how to carry out the wishes of Congress because

A)legislation is often too vague to effectively guide the bureaucracy.
B)presidents want to use the bureaucracy to circumvent Congress.
C)they are enabled to do so by the legislation itself.
D)legislation is often too vague to effectively guide the bureaucracy and presidents want to use the bureaucracy to circumvent Congress.
E)legislation is often too vague to effectively guide the bureaucracy and they are enabled to do so by the legislation itself.

Question 44

​Controversy arose during the Bush administration when _____________ refused to issue regulations to implement _____________.

A)​the Department of Education; No Child Left Behind
B)​the Environmental Protection Agency; the Clean Air Act
C)​the Department of Labor; card check legislation
D)​the U.S.Postal Service; fiscal sustainability
E)​None of these choices is true.

Question 45

​Enabling legislation

A)​provides appropriations to federal agencies.
B)​is proposed by departments wishing to increase their budgets.
C)​is enacted by the president.
D)​provides authorization for new federal agencies.
E)​All of these choices are true.

Question 46

The federal government must release at your request any information it has about you or other subjects due to

A)​the Freedom of Information Act.
B)​the Bureaucratic Transparency Act.
C)​the Bureaucratic Freedom Act.
D)​the Informational Transparency Act.
E)​None of these choices is true.

Question 47

The Whistleblower Protection Act

A)allows whistleblowers to take time off from their jobs if they are concerned with actions of their supervisors.
B)allows the government to prosecute whistleblowers whose accusations have been unfounded.
C)penalizes federal bureaucrats who participate in political activities.
D)prohibits reprisals against whistleblowers by their superiors.
E)for the first time established a relatively swift method for firing civil servants.

Question 48

When a regulatory agency like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes a newly proposed regulation, it must wait __________ days before it can be enforced, during which time the rule can be overturned by Congressional legislation.

A)10
B)20
C)45
D)60
E)365

Question 49

When government services are replaced by services from the private sector, this is known as

A)out-contracting.
B)outsourcing.
C)capitalization.
D)privatization.
E)liquidation.

Question 50

The major beneficiaries of the Freedom of Information Act have been

A)member of Congress.
B)business lobbies.
C)news organizations.
D)activist groups.
E)whistleblowers.

Question 51

Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, all of the following have happened EXCEPT

A)the Freedom of Information Act was abolished.
B)the FBI began restricting information about its activities.
C)the military began restricting information about its activities.
D)federal agencies removed many documents from public view.
E)the trend toward open government has reversed.

Question 52

The concept of privatization refers to

A)the replacement of government services with services provided by private firms.
B)federal loan guarantees for small businesses.
C)the hiring practices of the civil service.
D)the replacement of federal government services with state or local government services.
E)reducing the number of levels in the federal hierarchy.

Question 53

​An iron triangle includes all of the following EXCEPT

A)​public opinion.
B)​bureaucratic agencies.
C)​interest groups.
D)​congressional legislators.
E)public opinion and interest groups.

Question 54

​A group of individuals including legislators and their staffs, bureaucrats, interest group leaders, and experts, all advocating for a policy position, is

A)​a bureaucratic council.
B)​an iron triangle.
C)​an issue network.
D)​a policy network.
E)​an issue pole.

Question 55

The Freedom of Information Act

A)requires government agencies to notify the media if they are exceeding their budget for the fiscal year.
B)requires federal agencies to disclose information on file about an individual to that individual upon his or her request.
C)provides for a statute of limitations on the Government in the Sunshine Act.
D)requires executive agencies to release information to congressional oversight committees.
E)was repealed after 9/11.

Question 56

Congressional control over the bureaucracy

A)can result in congressional hearings.
B)includes the ability to force bureaucrats to testify before Congress.
C)includes its power to refuse funding to administrative agencies.
D)is met with skepticism by many pundits.
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 57

Through negotiated rulemaking, federal agencies have begun encouraging businesses and public interest groups to become directly involved in

A)taking responsibility for their own self-regulation.
B)drafting the regulations that affect them.
C)lobbying Congress to relax regulations.
D)lobbying the president concerning bureaucratic reorganization.
E)administering regulations.

Question 58

Which of the following is true?

A)A release of classified information that may endanger American soldiers is called whistleblowing.
B)A release of classified information that may endanger American soldiers is called a leak.
C)A release of information that calls attention to inefficiency or illegal action is called whistleblowing.
D)The Obama administration has charged fewer people with leaking government secrets than most previous presidencies.
E)A release of classified information that may endanger American soldiers is called a leak, and a release of information that calls attention to inefficiency or illegal action is called whistleblowing.

Question 59

The role of the Internet in government is believed to have done all of the following EXCEPT

A)improved efficiency.
B)reduced costs.
C)improved communication.
D)dramatically shrunk the size of government.
E)raised privacy concerns.

Question 60

The Government in the Sunshine Act required that

A)all federal agencies run by committees conduct their business regularly in public session.
B)all federal agencies terminate after five years unless Congress grants the agency an extension.
C)all federal agencies hold at least half of their public meeting outside of Washington, DC.
D)at least 40 percent of upper-level positions within an agency be filled by females or ethnic minorities.
E)all federal agency meetings on personnel problems or court proceedings be held in public session.

Question 61

Discuss the ways in which the political participation and affiliation of federal employees has changed under the spoils system, the Hatch Act, and the 1993 Federal Employees Political Activities Act.

Question 62

Describe the manner(s) in which Congress attempts to control the bureaucracy.

Question 63

Explain the idea of a line organization and detail how they work and where they can be found in the federal bureaucracy.

Question 64

Define the idea of an independent regulatory agency and discuss what these agencies do and why.

Question 65

Explain both sides of the issue of the privatization of government. Provide examples of ways privatization might make government more efficient and some of the unintended consequences of privatization.

Question 66

Explain the idea of sunshine laws, such as the Freedom of Information Act, and how government information has changed since 9/11/2001.

Question 67

Explain the concepts of iron triangles and issue networks. What could be done to change the iron triangles?

Question 68

Describe the evolution of the civil service with particular emphasis on legislation that implemented reforms in government employment policies.

Question 69

Discuss the ways in which the bureaucracy has grown and shrunk over the history of the United States.

Question 70

Based on what you know of bureaucracy, craft an argument for or against any model of bureaucracy (Weberian, acquisitive, or monopolistic) as being representative of U.S. government today.